Sapp eager to energize Raiders defensive unit

STEVE CORKRANKnight Ridder Newspapers

Published Tuesday, May 04, 2004

ALAMEDA, Calif. -- Defensive tackle Warren Sapp has been to seven straight Pro Bowls, was the focal point of one of the league's most dominant defenses for the past nine years, and is viewed as a team leader.

Yet, his phone went silent once free agency started March 3, with his former team, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, making no overtures toward Sapp about a new contract after nine standout seasons.

Sapp was left with two options: sign with the perennial downtrodden Cincinnati Bengals or join a Raiders team that finished 4-12 last season.

"I just looked at the roster," Sapp said.

"Cincinnati and Oakland. You pick that."

Sure, it helped that the Raiders bestowed upon Sapp a seven-year, $36.6 million contract that included a $6 million signing bonus.

Now it's Sapp's turn to reward Oakland's faith in him by spearheading the resurrection of a defense that finished 30th out of 32 teams last season.

"They had a bunch of good players before I ever got here; it's not something we're rebuilding from scratch," Sapp said Saturday. "We just had to get a different coaching staff and a different mind frame. We have that."

New defensive coordinator Rob Ryan came over from the Super Bowl champion New England Patriots and immediately announced his intention to implement a scheme that uses more of a three-linemen, four-linebacker alignment.

Ryan intends to use Sapp as the anchor of that scheme, with Sapp at end in the 3-4 and at right tackle in the 4-3. He also wants Sapp to play only 70 percent of the time, a significant drop from what Sapp was accustomed to with the Buccaneers under former coach Tony Dungy.

"When Tony first built it, he said I'm the type of high defensive motor that makes that defense go," Sapp said. "I was the under tackle. I bought into the system and did everything that he told me."

Ryan has never been a defensive coordinator. Still, Sapp said, he has put his faith in Ryan.

"Buy into what you say and what you believe, and if I don't get the results, I'm coming back to you."

For now, it's Sapp's teammates who are coming to him for advice, guidance and as a means of feeding off his immense energy.

Oakland struggled against the run and got only 17 1/2 sacks from its defensive linemen last season.

No one player surfaced as the dominant force on the line. The Raiders are counting on Sapp being that guy this season.

It took veteran defensive tackle John Parrella all of three days to buy into the Sapp mystique.

"Any time you play with great players, everyone else plays better," Parrella said. "Warren's one of the premier tackles in the league, and we stand to benefit from that."

Sapp's influence transcends the defense, left guard Frank Middleton said. Sapp is in charge of making sure rookies such as left offensive tackle Robert Gallery realize that this isn't college anymore.

Sapp broke down Middleton when Middleton was a rookie whom the Buccaneers pegged as an immediate starter in 1997, just as Gallery and center Jake Grove are this season.

"He took it personally," Middleton said of Sapp. "He made me earn confidence that I can play in this league. He doesn't want you to get any false confidence or else you'll get beat on Sundays. And if you can handle Sapp, there aren't any better than him."

Several players targeted Gallery during Oakland's three-day minicamp, but Sapp didn't get his shot.

"I'm not going to back down just because I'm a rookie," Gallery said.

"I'm fighting for a job just like everyone else."

Sooner or later, Gallery can expect to confront Sapp.

"It's a whole different ballgame out here (than) it is in college," Sapp said.

"Because you're going to run into a stud once a month in college. Everybody out here gets a check. So that attitude? You can pocket that. Everybody's got one of those, so you're going to have to play."

Notes: Second-year tight end Teyo Johnson sustained a sprained right ankle during full-squad drills. He had to be helped from the field. Coach Norv Turner said X-rays will be taken. ... Cornerback Charles Woodson remains unsigned and missed practice for the third straight day. ... The Raiders' second and final minicamp is scheduled for June 22-24. They report to training camp in Napa on July 29.------